Tiltable beach umbrella



1111? I 23, 1970 M. PEARLSTINE 3,521,651

TILTABLE BEACH UMBRELLA Filed July 9, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTOAMFXF,

y 1970 M. PEIARLSTINE 3,521,651

TILTABLE BEACH UMBRELLA Filed July 9, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Arm/(WET.

United States Patent 3,521,651 TILTABLE BEACH UMBRELLA Morton Pearlstine, 1419 Old Welsh Road, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. 19006 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 732,445, May 27, 1968. This application July 9, 1968, Ser.

Int. Cl. A45b 17/00 US. Cl. 135-20 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE support, and then downwardly to the collar. As the cord is wound up, it raises the collar so as to expose the hinged joint whereby the umbrella may tilt. As the umbrella tilts, it tensions or deflects a spring which will return the umbrella to an upright position as the cord is unwound.

This invention relates to an automatically tiltable beach umbrella of the type shown in my Pat. 3,311,119, and is a continuation-in-part of my pending application Ser. No. 732,445 filed May 27, 1968. The disclosure in said pending application is incorporated herein by reference. While the umbrella as disclosed in such patent performs satisfactorily, the present invention has been devised in an attempt to reduce the overall cost of the umbrella. The present invention eliminates the need for threaded shafts and meshing gears as disclosed in said patent while attaining the overall result in a different manner.

In accordance with the present invention, the upper portion of a tubular support is caused to tilt with respect to a lower portion thereof by means of winding up a flexible member such as a nylon cord. One end of the cord is anchored to a rotatable member on the lower portion of the tubular support. The cord extends through both the upper and lower portions of the support and emerges from the upper end of the support. The other end of the cord is anchored to a collar slidably sup ported by the tubular support. As the cord is wound up, the fabric supporting ribs pivot to their expanded position and the collar is raised until it exposes the pivoted joint. Further winding of the cord causes the upper portion of the tubular support to tilt with respect to the lower portion. Spring means are provided to cause the tilted umbrella to attain an upright disposition as the cord is unwound.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel automatically tiltable beach umbrella which includes spring means to return the tilted umbrella to an upright position.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatically tiltable beach umbrella structurally interrelated in a manner whereby opening of the umbrella and tilting is effected by winding up a cord on a rotatable member of the tubular support.

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The above and other objects as may hereinafter be described are accomplished in a manner which is simple while at the same time sufficiently durable and has sufficient strength so as to resist wind and other forces which might interfere with the proper usage of the umbrella.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a typical beach umbrella in accordance with this invention, without the umbrella fabric and with the umbrella in a collapsed position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, of the tubular support for the umbrella in FIG. 1 intermediate its ends.

FIG. 3 is a partial elevation view showing the upper portion of the tubular support tilted with respect to the lower portion thereof.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the joint structure taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 77 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the joint structure.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a tiltable beach umbrella designated generally as 10. The umbrella 10 includes a tubular support having a lower portion 16 and an upper portion 18. Portion 16 is adapted to extend through a hole in a table and be supported by a stand.

A collar 20 is slidably supported by the lower portion 16. Each of the fabric supporting ribs 22 is pivotably supported by collar 20 between flanges 25 and 27 on collar 20 by means of rods 24. The flanges 25 and 27 are spaced from one another by a boss 65. Each of the ribs 22 is pivotably connected to the upper end of portion 18.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2 of my above-mentioned pending application, a shaft 26 extends through the lower portion -16 and is supported by bearings and made from a polymeric material such as nylon. A friction fit between the bearings and the shaft 26 results in the shaft remaining in any manually indexed position. A flexible member such as nylon cord 34 has one end anchored to the shaft 26 and is adapted to be wrapped therearound by rotation of handle 32.

The cord 34 extends through the lower portion 16 and the upper portion 18. A pulley is rotatably supported by portion 18 adjacent the upper end thereof. The cord 34 extends around the pulley, and emerges out of the upper portion 18, extends downwardly along the outer periphery of portion 18, and has its free end anchored to the flange 25 on collar 20. Hence, rotation of handle 32 will raise or lower the collar 20 as will be made clear hereinafter.

The portions 16 and 18 of the tubular support are hinged together by sleeve structures 38 and 40. See FIG. 8. Sleeve structure 38 includes a tubular portion 39 which is force-fit into the upper end of portion 16. Likewise, structure 40 has a tubular portion 41 which is force-fitted 3 into the lower end of portion 18. A stop shoulder 42 is provided on structure 38 and a similar stop shoulder 44 is provided on structure 40. Structures 38 and 40 are pivotably interconnected by a pin 46.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 8, structure 38 is bifurcated so as to have a pair of legs spaced fromv one another by a slot 48. The slot 48 extends for the entire length of structure 38 but is wider at the upper end than at the lower end. Notches 50 and 52 are provided in the legs defined by slot 48 and are coextensive with said slot.

Structure 40 is provided with a pair of legs 54 and 56 adapted to be received within the slot 48. Limit stops 58 are provided on the structure 44. Each limit stop 58 is adapted to be received within one of the notches 50 and 52. The limit stops 58 cooperate with an end face of the notches to limit the pivotable extent of the portion 18 with respect to the portion 16 as shown more clearly in FIG. 3.

The structure 38 is provided with vertical limit stop surfaces which are adapted to contact a projection 62 on each of the legs 54 and 56. When projections 62 contact the limit stop surfaces, the structures 38 and 40 are coaxial and aligned with one another by means of a locking sleeve 64 telescoped over at least a portion of the joint.

Sleeve 64 has a radially outwardly directed flange 66 which overlies flange 25 on collar 20. The flanges 25 and 65 are in abutting end-to-end engagement with one another.

A helical coil spring 68 surrounds the sleeve 64. One end of the spring 68 abuts the flange 66 on sleeve 64. The other end of the spring 68 is anchored to the upper support portion 18 by means of a screw 70.

The struts 24 are pivotably connected at their inner ends to a ring 72 which surrounds boss 65. See FIG. 4. Flange 27 is provided with notches 74 into which the struts 24 may extend. Flange 25 is provided with similar notches 76. See FIGS. 4 and 5.

A circular clamp 78 surrounds collar 20 and is secured thereto by bolts 80 and nuts 82. The bolts 80 extend through aligned holes in ears 84 and 86 at the free ends of the clamp 78. See FIG. 6. A spring means 88 is provided to oppose the tilting of the umbrella as the parts move from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3. Spring means 88 is on the opposite side of pin 46 from the legs 54 and 56.

Spring means 88 has one end portion 90 between the ears 84 and 86 and fixedly held against collar 20 by way of the bolts 80. Hence, spring means 88 moves with collar 20. Spring means 88 has a generally semicircular portion 92 which merges into a straight portion 94 forming an acute angle with lower support 16. The lower end of portion 94 terminates in a curved shoe 96 which slides on lower support 16 as collar 20 moves up and down. See FIG. 7.

The operation of the tilting beach umbrella is as follows:

It will be assumed that the fabric supporting ribs 22 are collapsed. Hence, the collar will be in its lowermost position. As the hand-1e 32 is turned, the cord 34 is wound up on shaft 26 and collar 20 is pulled upwardly in sliding contact with the lower support 16. The spring means 88 moves upwardly with collar 20. As the collar 20 moves upwardly, the rods 24 cause the ribs 22 to move to an open disposition. Also, as collar 20 moves upwardly, it pushes the sleeve 64 upwardly.

Before the collar 20 uncovers the joint, the ribs 22 will assume a completely open disposition. Continued winding of the cord 34 around the shaft 26 will cause the collar 20 to slide upwardly for a sufiicient distance so as to uncover the joint whereby legs 54 and 56 may pivot out of the slot 48 about the axis of pin 46. Cord 34 is connected to flange on collar 20 at a location between the legs 54 and 56 on structure 40. Hence, continued winding of the handle 32 causes the upper portion 18 to tilt with respect to the lower portion 16 until lugs 58 engage a limit stop surface in the notches and 52. Thereafter, continued winding of handle 32 has no effect on the disposition of the umbrella. As the upper portion 18 tilts from the position in FIG. 2 to the position in FIG. 3, spring means 88 is tensioned. The spring means 88 acts as a shock absorber on the upper portion 18 so that it assumes a tilted position in a smooth action.

Due to the friction between shaft 26 and the bearings 28 and 30, the shaft 26 stays in any preset position. When it is desired to collapse the umbrella, the handle 32 is rotated in an opposition direction so that the cord 34 is unwound from shaft 26. The spring 68 was collapsed as the sleeve 64 slid upwardly. The spring 68 now expands and slides the sleeve 64 and collar 20 downwardly. Spring means 88 biases portion 18 to an upright disposition until portion 18 is coaxial with portion 16. In order that the cord 34 does not interfere with the tilting operation, structure 38 is provided with a chanel within which the cord 34 is disposed. Thereafter, continued unwinding of the cord 34 causes the ribs 22 to collapse to their in operative position.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof.

I claim:

1. A beach umbrella comprising a main tubular support including an upper and lower portion hinged together at a joint, a collar slidably disposed around said support, fabric supporting ribs connected to said collar so that the ribs assume an open disposition as the collar moves upwardly, means on said support to cause said collar to slide upwardly to uncover said joint and permit the upper portion to tilt with respect to the lower portion, spring means on said support positioned so as to be stressed by the tilting of the upper portion and for biasing said upper portion from its tilted position to coaxial aligned disposition with respect to the lower portion, and a portion of said spring means being connected to said collar for movement therewith.

2. An umbrella in accordance with claim 1 including a clamp connected to the collar, one end of the spring means being connected to the clamp, the other end of the spring means being below said joint in all positions of the upper portion.

3. An umbrella in accordance with claim 2 including a shoe connected to the other end of the spring means and slidably engaging said lower portion.

4. An umbrella in accordance with claim 1 including a sleeve slidably disposed around said support at an elevation above the elevation of said collar, spring means on said upper portion biasing said sleeve towards said collar, and said sleeve being telescoped over at least a portion of the joint in its lowermost position.

5. An umbrella in accordance with claim 1 wherein said spring means includes a straight portion lying in a generally vertical plane and merges into a curved portion lying in said plane.

6. An umbrella in accordance with claim 1 including a shoe on one end of said spring means, said shoe being in sliding contact with the lower portion.

7. A beach umbrella comprising a main tubular support including an upper and lower portion hinged t gether at a joint, a collar slidably disposed around said support at a location above the elevation of the joint, a sleeve slidably disposed around said support above a portion of the collar, said sleeve being telescoped over at least a portion of the joint in its lowermost position so as to maintain said upper and lower portions aligned, means on said support to cause said collar to slide upwardly while pushing the sleeve upwardly to a position wherein said collar uncovers said joint and permits the upper portion to tilt with respect to the lower portion, spring means on said support biasing said upper portion to coaxial aligned disposition with respect to the lower portion, said spring means lying in a vertical plane con- 5 6 taining the axis of said upper portion when the latter is References Cited tilted, said plane being substantially narrower than the UNITED STATES PATENTS diameter of said upper portion, the lower end of the spring means contacting the lower portion while the upper end of the spring means applies a spring bias to the upper 5 portion in the tilted disposition of the upper portion, PETER CAUN, Pflmary EXamlIleI and fabric supporting ribstconnected to said collar so that the ribs assume an open disposition as the collar moves U.S. C1.X.R. upwardly. 135-46 3,311,119 3/1967 Pearlstine. 

